Heel and sole protector



ug 2 1932 s. VELLNER 1,869,988

HEEL AND SOLE PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 4, 1939 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 untreu; Tara-fs;

PATENT? varrier., j

STEPHENT'IIELLNER,` OIE PHILADELPHIA, PNNSYLVAIXIIA.`

IHlEllll'av AND SOLE PROTECTOR Applicatcn filed December 11,1930;V Serial No. 49,869.-

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in heel and sole protectors, and while particular mention is hereinafter made V to the devices as applied to shoe and overshoe 5 heels, it is to be understood that their applicability to soles of shoes and the like is equally feasible.

Not enly during low temperatures when roads and pavements ,are covered with snow,

1U ice and sleet is there liabilityT of slipping and falling, but also upon wet pavements in warm atmosphere one is constantly liable to slip and possibly fall, especially when using footwear having the heels alone or both the heels l5 and soles provided with rubber surfaces. Such surfaces it is well known absorb shocks incidental to walking but the rubber tends to slip upon wet pavements even more than leather. Similarly, overshoes and the like m which serve to protect the shoes and feet from wet pavements, offer little or no protection against slipping and in fact are frequently the cause of slipping upon wet pavements y which would not otherwise occur.

Another object therefore is to provide a covering for either or both the heels and soles of shoes and overshoes, which will not detract from the usefulness of the footwear but which will offer a relatively positive pre- 3 vention against slipping upon both ice and wet pavements, and to provide means for incorporating such improved covering in an attachment for shoes, overshoes, and the like,

that can be attached and detached at will,

and which when being worn are not bulky and cumbersome, while they are of such size that when not in use they can be carried in ones pocket. handbag, or brief case.

With these and other objects in mind, the present invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a shoe to which is attached a heel protector comprising one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the heel protector per se g Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same shownin perspective; Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the rear portion of anr overshoe to which is attached 'a slightly modified form of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the heel portion of theovershoe and protector 55 as shown in Fig. 4:... i

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the sole lof a shoe 2 merges into the usual heel 3, which here is shown as being covered by the improved form of protector. GG The protector-itself'comprises an upwardly extending wall 4, preferably formed of relatively stiff leather, and surrounding and closely cooperatingywith the laterally opposite sides and rear of the said heel. The forward C5 end portions of said wall are connected to. gether byy a relativelystraight wall 5, which may be an integralfcontinuation of, or else unitarily secured to, the ends ofthe first wall.

A bottom wall 6 of the protector prefer- 7U ably comprises a substantially flat piece of leather,4 turned downwardly at its periphery 'to form ay flange 7, which is secured by stitches :8 tothe lower edge portion of the wall members a and 5, to form a relatively 75 stiffer flange of'double thickness as shown in` Fig-3. To the under side of the bottom 6 is secured'by means of spaced rows of stitches 9 a thick section l0 of high grade felt, ,which is preferably ofthe same overall 30 longitudinalk and transverse extent as that of the` lower edge portions of the walls .e and 5, but which extends upwardly between the flanges 7 and is firmly seated against the under surfacev of said bottomwall, so that 55 said flange being stiff andextending downwardly around aportion of said felt member serves to positively position the latter, andthus relieve the stitches 9 from practically all transverse strain. A 96 For detachably securing the protector to a shoe, a pair of straps 11 and l2 are secured at their lower end portions to the opposite sides of the wallet, and are provided upon their'free` end portions with interengaging t adjustable means 13', whereby their combined length maybe varied in'order to permit them to extend aroundthefrontof a shoe, substantially as shown in Fig.- l, though the exact type of protector-securing means ris not u in this instance of importance. It is important, however, that the felt member 1() shall be very thick (about l@ inch or over), while it is preferably made of 100% waterproofed wool or fur felt, which it has been found effectively clings to and prevents slipping upon either ice-covered or wet pavements, in fact, this is true to such an extent that nothing which has been found among the disclosures of the prior art can approach this form of protector for eliiciency in the desired direction.

For securing the felt in operative position, stitches of waxed linen cord or thread of heavy gauge are preferable, and as the felt is secured in place vertically only by these stitches and transversely by the flange 7, replacement of the felt may be accomplished by simply severing the stitches 9, removing the worn felt member, then replacing the same with a new felt member, and stitching the latter in operative position. And it is to be further understood that the details herein described with respect to a heel protector are equally applicable to a protector for the forward portion of a shoe sole, or to a protector which covers both the heel and sole at the same time.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, a slightly modified form of protector is shown as adapted for use with an overshoe. An overshoe is represented by the rear portion which comprises side walls and a relatively thicker pavement-engageable bottom wall 16, the former being provided with any suitable form of securing means, such as the female portions 17 of glove fasteners. The male members 18 of such fasteners are secured to the side walls 19 of a protector, which also comprises a bottom wall 2() having a downwardly extending peripheral flange 21, secured by suitable stitches or other means to the lower edge portion of said side walls and uniting therewith to form a relatively stiff flange, similar to that hereinbefore described and within which is seated a thick piece of felt 22, operatively held against the under surface of the bottom wall by means of stitches 23, also as hereinbefore described.

Thus, in this case the invention is adapted for use in conjunction with overshoes, in which case the latter protect at least the lower portions of a shoe from becoming wet from rain or snow, while the felt protector prevents the overshoe from slipping upon a pavement or the like that may be either icecovered or merely wet from rain or melting snow and ice. Both of the protectors here described can, as above mentioned, be easily removed from the shoe or overshoe when desired and placed within ones pocket, hand` bag, brief case, or other available means for carrying the same.

Having thus described my invention, what signature.

STEPHEN VELLNER. 

